Bath mitt

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a bath mitt for use in personal hygiene which has an opening on one side for inserting a hand to guide the bath mitt. The edge of the introduction opening is provided with a fixation device, preferably in the form of an elastic loop, so that the bath mitt cannot slide off the user&#39;s hand. The fixation device is configured so as to allow the bath mitt to keep its flat shape when being fixated to the user&#39;s wrist.

[0001] The invention relates to a bath mitt in particular for use inpersonal hygiene that is formed by two layers of fabric that areconnected with each other. The bath mitt has an opening on one side forinserting a hand guiding the bath mitt, and an elastic fixation deviceassociated with the opening for fixing the bath mitt on the hand.

[0002] A comparable bath mitt is proposed, for example by DE 93 13 081.In the area of the opening for inserting the hand, the known bath mitthas a variable constriction that adapts itself to the wrist of the user.The aim is to prevent the cleaning mitt in this way from sliding fromthe hand of the user as it is being used for washing. The variableconstriction is preferably realized in this connection by an elasticrubber band that is incorporated in the fabric in the area of theinsertion opening of the cleaning mitt.

[0003] This known cleaning mitt has a number of drawbacks. When the mittis not in use, the constriction contracts, so that the cross section ofthe insertion opening is changed, which leads to the fact that thefabric from which the mitt is made loses its flat shape and throwsfolds. This causes the cleaning mitt, which is thoroughly wetted afterit has been used, to dry only poorly and unevenly. Furthermore, theknown mitt cannot be stacked, which results in considerable spacerequirements for storing it. Moreover, the constriction contracts on thejoint of the hand as the mitt is being used, with the disadvantageousresult that only a small part of the entire surface area of the fabriccan be used for the cleaning process. Owing to the fact that theconstriction of the known mitt closely clings to the wrist of the user,the exchange of air or cleaning liquid between the interior of thecleaning mitt and the environment is prevented. It is a known phenomenonthat such bath mitts tend to closely cling to the hand of the user,which is often perceived as being unpleasant, on the one hand, and has anegative influence on the cleaning effect on the other hand as well.

[0004] Accordingly, the present invention is based on the problem ofproviding a bath mitt which, while avoiding the drawbacks specifiedabove, cannot slide from the hand while it is being used, and keeps itflat shape, so that an optimal washing effect can be achieved.

[0005] This problem is solved in connection with a bath mitt of the typespecified above in that the fixation device is elastically deformableindependently of the layers of fabric of the bath mitt.

[0006] The bath mitt as defined by the invention thus completelydispenses with the constriction as it is known in the prior art. Thecross section of the insertion opening is not capable of contracting,with the result that the major part of the drawbacks connected therewithare avoided. In particular, in the area of the insertion opening, thebath mitt as defined by the invention cannot closely cling to the wrist,so that no disadvantageous sealing effect can developed in that area.

[0007] A stiffening of the insertion opening advantageously leads to thefact that the bath mitt as defined by the invention can keep its flatshape, from which results optimal use of the washing surface, on the onehand. On the other hand, this favors drying of the thoroughly wettedmitt and it is assured that the mitt can be stacked.

[0008] A loop made of elastic ribbon is usefully selected as thefixation device. The circumference of this loop is adapted to thecircumference of the wrist of the hand inserted in the bath mitt. Suchribbons are commercially available in the form of rubber bands orrubber-and-fabric bands and can be used in a simple manner for the bathmitt as defined by the invention at low manufacturing costs. Theelasticity of the loop assures that the hand of the user can be insertedin the bath mitt without problems, whereupon the bath mitt is safelyfixed on the hand and cannot slide off even in the presence of violentwashing movements.

[0009] It is advantageous if the circumference of the aforementionedloop can be adjusted, so that the bath mitt can be adapted at any timeto different users.

[0010] It is useful if the loop can be opened and closed by means ofsuitable closing elements. It may be necessary due to wear to replacethe loop made of elastic ribbon after the bath mitt has been used anumber of times. However, in particular, it should be possible tocompletely remove the loop for the purpose of thoroughly cleaning thedirty bath mitt.

[0011] It is useful to guide the loop made of elastic ribbon throughpassages located in the edge of the insertion opening of the bath mittas defined by the invention. In this way, parts of the loop are capableof extending both inside and outside of the edge of the insertionopening. After the elastic loop has been placed around the wrist of thehand inserted in the bath mitt, the bath mitt is safely fixed on theinserted hand.

[0012] The passages are usefully arranged spaced from the lateral edgesof the bath mitt adjoining the insertion opening. On the one hand, thisis necessary so that the bath mitt can be fixed on the inserted handbecause the total width of the mitt approximately corresponds with thewidth of the human hand with spread fingers. The wrist, however, whichis engaged by the elastic ribbon for the fixation, is substantiallynarrower. On the other hand, what is achieved by arranging the passagesis that areas in the insertion opening located laterally of the wristare kept open, so that an exchange can take place through these areasbetween the interior of the bath mitt and the environment. By making itpossible for air to access the interior, the thoroughly wetted mitt isprevented from tightly clinging to the inserted hand. The aforementioneddrawbacks connected therewith are effectively eliminated in this way.Furthermore, the lateral openings can be additionally used for flushingthe bath mitt as defined by the invention with cleaning liquid from theinterior while it is fixed on the hand of the user.

[0013] It is particularly advantageous if the two layers of fabric ofthe bath mitt as defined by the invention consist of differentmaterials. Each material may have a different cleaning effect, wherebyit is then possible in a simple manner to achieve the one or otherdesired cleaning effect by turning the mitt. In particular, it ispossible to produce the two layers of fabric from pile material withpile threads having different titers. One layer of fabric can beprovided with pile threads with a particularly high titer, so that ahighly scouring cleaning effect is obtained for coarse dirt. The otherlayer of fabric can then be provided with pile threads with a low titer,so that a strong suction effect is obtained for sucking up cleaningliquid.

[0014] An alternative possibility for realizing the bath mitt as definedby the invention is available if the elastic fixation device iscomprised of at least two elastic ribbons that are sewn to the innersurfaces of the bath mitt with a spacing from the lateral edges, so thatthe two layers of fabric are connected with each other by the elasticribbons in the area of the insertion opening. This embodiment of thebath mitt can be produced in a particularly simple manner and, versusthe variation described above, offers the advantage that the fixationdevice is connected with the bath mitt in a fixed way and, other than aloose elastic loop, thus cannot be inadvertently lost.

[0015] Exemplified embodiments of the bath mitt as defined by theinvention are explained in the following with the help of the drawings,in which:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a view of the insertion opening of a first exemplifiedembodiment of the bath mitt;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a top view of the bath mitt;

[0018]FIG. 3 shows the insertion opening of a second embodiment of thebath mitt as defined by the invention.

[0019] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, an upper cleaningfabric layer 1 and a lower fabric layer 2 are joined with each otheralong the edges. An insertion opening 3, in which a hand guiding thebath mitt can be inserted, is obtained on one side of the bath mitt. Theinsertion opening 3 has a stiffened edge 4, by which the bath mitt iskept in its flat shape. In order to prevent the bath mitt from slidingoff from the hand of the user, a fixation device in the form of anelastic loop 5 is arranged within the edge 4. The elastic ribbon isguided through the slots 6 located in the stiffened edge 4, so that itpartly extends in the inner area and partly in the outer area of thebath mitt. The elastic ribbon can be deformed in this way in itsfunction as a fixation device independently of the fabric layers 1 and 2of the bath mitt. The edge 4 of the insertion opening always keeps itsshape regardless of whether the bath mitt is present on the hand of auser or not. The slots 6 are spaced from the lateral edge of the mitt insuch a way that the intermediate space between the sections of theelastic loop extending in the inner area approximately corresponds withthe width of a wrist. The shown arrangement of the elastic loop 5contributes to achieving an optimal washing effect in that the stiffenededge 4 is pulled together while the flat shape of the bath mitt ismaintained. On the outer side of the bath mitt, the elastic ribbon 5 isprovided with a closing and adjusting element 7, so that the loop can beadapted or removed as required.

[0020]FIG. 3 shows a second exemplified embodiment, in which the elasticfixation device 5 is comprised of two elastic ribbons that are sewn tothe fabric layers 1 and 2 in a fixed way, instead of the elastic loopthat is only loosely connected with the bath mitt. The elastic ribbonssatisfy their function as a fixation device in the present case as well,whereby they are elastically deformable independently of the fabriclayers 1 and 2. The elastic ribbons are sewn to the inner surfaces ofthe fabric layers 1 and 2 with a spacing from the lateral edge of themitt, whereby the intermediate space between the ribbons extending inthe inner area of the insertion opening 3 approximately corresponds withthe width of a wrist.

1. A bath mitt in particular for personal hygiene formed by two fabriclayers (1, 2) joined with each other, comprising a unilateral opening(3) for inserting a hand guiding the bath mitt, and a fixation device(5) associated with the opening for fixing the bath mitt on the hand,characterized in that the fixation device (5) is elastically deformableindependently of the fabric layers (1, 2) of the bath mitt.
 2. The bathmitt according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge (4) of theinsertion opening (3) is stiffened.
 3. The bath mitt according to claim1, characterized in that the fixation device (5) is a loop made ofelastic ribbon, with the circumference of said loop being adapted to thecircumference of the wrist of the hand inserted in the bath mitt.
 4. Thebath mitt according to claim 3, characterized in that the circumferenceof the loop is adjustable.
 5. The bath mitt according to claim 3,characterized in that the loop can be opened and closed by means ofsuitable closing elements (7).
 6. The bath mitt according to claim 3,characterized in that passages (6) are arranged on the edge (4) of theinsertion opening (3), with the elastic ribbon (5) being guided troughsaid passages.
 7. The bath mitt according to claim 6, characterized inthat the passages (6) are spaced from the lateral edges of the bath mittadjoining the insertion opening (3).
 8. The bath mitt according to claim1, characterized in that the two fabric layers (1, 2) consist ofdifferent materials.
 9. The bath mitt according to claim 8,characterized in that the two fabric layers (1, 2) consist of pilematerial with pile threads having different titers.
 10. The bath mittaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic fixation device(5) is comprised of at least two elastic ribbons sewn to the innersurfaces of the fabric layers with a spacing from the lateral edges, sothat the two fabric layers (1, 2) are joined with each other by theelastic ribbons in the area of the insertion opening (3).